Short Stories (bxb)

Skin and Bones Pt. 3: Little Things

Calum and Luke weren't in the locker room when I got there.

     Which made me want to punch a locker.

     When I emerged onto the basketball court, there they were. Standing by Coach, talking to her about something or another. The infuriating part was that I knew they'd done it on purpose—they'd guessed that I would know about what they did to Isaac and hidden out here like cowards, thinking that they would be able to avoid conflict since Coach was present.

     It was a pretty idiotic plan, since I had every intention of making a scene either way.

     "What the hell is wrong with you?" I yelled, storming over to where they stood. "What kind of sick fucks assault an amputee?"

   "Yo, chill," Calum said defensively, glancing around like he didn't know what I was talking about. "What's your deal, man?"

    "My deal is that your sorry asses deserve to be in jail right now!" I snapped, reaching out to shove him by the shoulders. He shoved me back, harder, and I was ready to full on punch the guy when Coach blew her whistle loud enough to make my ears ring and pushed us apart.

    "Both of you, five laps, now!" she barked.

    "You don't get it!" I protested. "This son of a bitch nearly put your small forward in the hospital!"

    "Coach, I have no idea what he's talking about," Calum defended.

    "Bullshit!" I shouted, turning on him. "You and Luke cornered Isaac in an alleyway last night and beat the shit out of him!"

    "Ryan, do you have any proof of this?" Coach demanded. "Do you realize how serious of an allegation you're making?" 

     "How about the fact that they left right after Isaac last night, and then I found him beat up in the alley?" I said incredulously. "I mean, how obvious can it be? They hate the guy! They wanted to get rid of their competition, and now he doesn't even have a leg!"

    Calum rolled is eyes. "Can't you see what he's doing?" he asked Coach. "Isaac got mugged or something, and they're looking for someone to blame. They're just trying to get money from me!"

    "Are you joking?" I exclaimed. "That is the dumbest—"

     Coach held her hand up, instantly quieting both of us. "Five laps," she said. "Now."

     My eyes widened. "You can't be serious!" I said. "Those bastards deserve to be kicked off the team!"

    She shook her head, her eyes fixed on me with a silencing glare. "I am not going to kick two of my best players off the team over some he-says-she-says. When you find viable evidence against them, then the appropriate actions will be taken. Now get the hell out of my face before I make it ten laps."

    I wanted to argue more, but I knew it would be pointless. Coach never had and never would care about the welfare of her players. All she cared about was winning.

    

At the end of practice, when we were all sat in a semicircle around Coach as she spoke—unsurprisingly, I was sat as far away from Calum and Luke as possible—she made an announcement. She'd picked the team captains.

    "I'm somewhat disappointed," she admitted, "Because I wanted to make Isaac one of the captains. Since he can no longer play, however, my plans had to change."

     Calum and Luke exchanged a smug glance, and it took all of my willpower to kep my ass on the floor.

    "So instead, your captains for the 2018 basketball season are . . ." she said, and everyone leaned forward in suspense. Everyone except for Luke and Calum, who knew their names were about to be called.